Effect of Application of Probiotic Pollen Suspension on Immune Response and Gut Microbiota of Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)

Although the use of probiotic bacteria in invertebrates is still rare, scientists have begun to look into their usage in honey bees. The probiotic preparation, based on the autochthonous strainLactobacillus brevisB50 Biocenol (TM) (CCM 8618), which was isolated from the digestive tracts of healthy bees, was applied to the bee colonies in the form of a pollen suspension. Its influence on the immune response was determined by monitoring the expression of genes encoding immunologically important molecules in the honey bee intestines. Changes in the intestinal microbiota composition were also studied. The results showed that the probioticLact. brevisB50, on a pollen carrier, significantly increased the expression of genes encoding antimicrobial peptides (abaecin, defensin-1) as well as pattern recognition receptors (toll-like receptor, peptidoglycan recognition proteins). Gene expression for the other tested molecules included in Toll and Imd signaling pathways (dorsal, cactus, kenny, relish) significantly changed during the experiment. The positive effect on intestinal microbiota was manifested mainly by a significant increase in the ratio of lactic acid bacteria to enterobacteria. These findings confirm the potential of the tested probiotic preparation to enhance immunity in bee colonies and thus increase their resistance to infectious diseases and stress conditions.